Why does iTunes delete random podcasts?

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Level 1

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Why does iTunes delete random podcasts?

I've had this issue for a while now; I can't remember how far back it started. I'm currently subscribed to four different podcasts, and I have iTunes set to "Keep all episodes" and automatically sync podcasts to my iPod (80 GB iPod classic). However, I often find that random podcasts have been deleted after I've downloaded and listened to them.

It doesn't happen right after I listen to them, but a few weeks later, I might see the white/gray exclamation point icon pop up, and then I'll know that the file has magically disappeared from my computer's hard drive. The podcast will still exist on my iPod, but it's just really annoying regardless. Any ideas?

Toshiba Satellite A55, Windows XP, 1.6 GHz Pentium M Processor; 1 GB RAM; 120 GB HD; Mozilla Firefox 3.0.1

Posted on Aug 8, 2008 12:22 AM

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Answer 1

BrOnXbOmBr21 Author

Level 1

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Aug 13, 2008 6:11 PM in response to BrOnXbOmBr21

Here's an issue that falls under the same umbrella. I check for new episodes of my podcasts manually, and when I hit "GET" to download a new episode, it starts downloading. When it finishes, though, that **** white-on-gray exclamation point icon appears -- what did iTunes do, download the podcast and then spontaneously delete it?!

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Answer 2

Katrina S.

Level 7

24,131 points

Aug 13, 2008 7:23 PM in response to BrOnXbOmBr21

For this problem I suspect the podcast provider changed something on their end.
Delete the subscriptions and resubscribe.

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=301872

I had a problme with a podcast downloading everything twice and every other one getting the ! because the podcast maker renamed their episodes for some unfathomable reason.

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Answer 3

Aug 28, 2008 11:01 AM in response to BrOnXbOmBr21

In my experience, podcasts that subsequently disappear are placed in a folder called downloads and a subfolder of that folder named after the podcast. The podcast is always named download.mp3. When iTunes starts, it erases all podcasts named download.mp3 from the download folder and that's why your podcasts disappear. Why this happens, I have no idea. Most podcasts keep their file name and are not kept in this folder but a few end up there named download.mp3 and they will disappear the next time you use iTunes. I have inquired about this bug, for that's what it seems to be, but have never gotten an answer. Maybe it will be fixed in some future version of iTunes.

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Answer 4

Aug 28, 2008 11:07 AM in response to David Hurwitz1

BTW, to continue this thread, there are two fixes for this disappearing podcast problem. One is to download the missing podcast again, or easier, check the download folder after you have updated podcasts and rename any file named download.mp3 to anything ( I use some acronym of the podcast name, ie: AT.mp3 for Airtalk) then double click to play it and it will appear in iTunes. You can then erase the now non-functioning listing of the program. It turns out that iTunes only erases podcasts in the download folder that are named download.mp3 and will leave files with other names alone.

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